


We Realign Ourselves with Destiny, No Matter How We Stray

by of_one_soul



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-01-20 14:15:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21283067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/of_one_soul/pseuds/of_one_soul
Summary: Gilbert Blythe needs the push of his dear brother Sebastian to recognize where he went wrong.  He finds the strength within himself and others to realign with his destiny.**Spoiler Warning** This story is based of some events and characters in Season 3.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley
Comments: 24
Kudos: 201





	1. The Blessing of a Brother

**Author's Note:**

> With the formatting of this chapter, it is easier to read on a computer or other larger device.

“Blythe, I need to talk to you.” 

Gilbert looked up from the book he had been studying meticulously for the past few hours. His eyes traveled across the candlelit kitchen table and up to meet the earnest eyes of his dear friend Sebastian who had been knitting in the seat across from him. Gilbert’s mind grew wary as he noticed just how serious and somewhat anxious Sebastian’s expression was. 

“What is it, Bash? Is something bothering you?”

“Blythe, I don’t know if I am the person who should be talking to you about this. Honestly, I’ve been debating it in my mind since the fair last weekend, but I realized, if I don’t, I don’t know who would.” Bash paused, taking a deep breath as Gilbert remained straight-faced across from him. “You’ve become a brother to me, Blythe. You know I want the best for you, right?” 

“Of course, Bash. I trust you completely. I must admit you have me incredibly worried at this moment though,” Gilbert said, stifling a nervous laugh. 

Bash’s face softened with a warm smile at Gilbert’s response, and the tension in the room was alleviated, if only slightly. With a light laugh that mixed oddly with the sadness in his eyes, he responded, “How I wish Mary was here! Or better yet, your father. I feel like this might be more of a father-son conversation. But here we are, Blythe.”

“Here we are,” Gilbert responded in kind. After a pause, Gilbert continued thoughtfully, “Is this about Anne and Winifred?”

The laughter returned to Sebastian’s eyes. “Whoa! You’re brighter than I realized, Blythe.”

Gilbert kicked him playfully under the table, his face flushing at the realization of the topic they were going to dive into.

“Will you hear me out and do your best to forgive me for the conversation we are about to have?” Bash asked, a tone of seriousness returning to his voice.

Gilbert nodded solemnly.

“I’m beyond confused, Blythe. You have always seemed like a pretty straight-forward guy to me, but I haven’t been able to figure you out the past few months. Ever since we met, whether or not it was known to you, the way you talked about Anne and the way you reacted whenever Anne was around.... I just always figured you felt for her the same way I felt for my Mary. I thought you were dead gone on her,” Bash paused, looking straight into Gilbert’s eyes. “And then you came home that one day, the day Elijah was here, and you were a giddy mook over a tea date with a girl I thought you barely knew. I figured you changed your mind about Anne and were moving on, but then, just a fortnight ago you came home from school asking about if certain feelings you were having for a girl meant she was the one you should marry. And I know, you weren’t talking about Winifred. But then a week ago, Blythe, you’re here pacing in front of me talking about impressing Winifred and her parents, but, at the same time, saying you’re not thinking about marriage with her. And then you ignored Anne completely at the fair except for when you brushed Winifred off your arm to chase after her….” Bash stopped to catch his breath. “Can you see why I’m confused, Blythe? And more than confused, I’m worried about what you are doing to these poor women’s hearts. I know I’m only a brother to you, I’m not your father, but I hope you can take my advice regardless. You need to figure out your heart, Blythe. And you need to do it before you hurt either of them any more.” 

The two men sat in the silence that followed Bash’s impassioned words. Sebastian’s eyes were still locked on Gilbert, but Gilbert’s gaze had shifted to the fire, the only thing in the room that burned as hot as his soul seemed to burn as he took in his brother’s words. They sat there in silence for minutes.

Gilbert saw the truth in what Sebastian had said. He had begun to realize it himself ever since he danced with Anne in the schoolhouse, but always chose to push it to the back of his mind as something to sit with at a later time. But Sebastian bringing it all to light now forced all of his conflicting thoughts to rush to the forefront of his mind.

_ Winifred is easy to be around. _

_ Being around Anne pushes me to _ _the limits of my emotions._

_ We are both interested in the study of medicine. _

_ We are both impassioned by the pursuit of knowledge. _

_ She is kind. _

_ The way she fights for the good of others with all _ _of her heart makes me want to do the same._

_ Her family seems to like me. _

_ Her family stands among my closest allies. _

_ She is accepting of my family too. _

_ Bash, Dellie, and I would be lost without her help. _

_ Winifred is a good friend. _

_ Anne is a kindred spirit, but now she’s _ _barely even speaking to me._

_ I enjoy the time I spend with her. _

_ My body seems to quake every time I get near her. _

_ She seems to enjoy spending time with me too. _

_ If only she felt the same way about me too. _

_ I love Anne. _

** _I love Anne._ **

  


“Blythe?”

Bash’s voice snapped Gilbert out of the tornado that was his mind. He felt a tear drip onto his arm and only then realized that he had been crying.

“I think I love Anne. Bash…. I love Anne.”

As Gilbert spoke these last words, a wide grin spread across his tear-stained face.

“There’s the Gilbert I know,” said Bash with a laugh.

The reality of the state of his heart and the situation he created hit Gilbert hard, and his momentary grin faded away.

“I really messed up, Bash.”

“Yep.”

“I need to write to Winnie and tell her I need to talk.”

“Yep.”

“And Anne....” Gilbert groaned, “What will I do about Anne? I thought there was a chance she might be starting to feel for me, even just a fraction of what I feel for her. I could see something different in her eyes.” Gilbert paused as he remembered the depth with which Anne had looked at him when they danced and after they had hugged when Mary was dying. “But she’s been avoiding me since the fair. Unless....” Gilbert let out an exasperated sigh before continuing. “Bash, am I really that much of an idiot?”

“Yep.”

“She actually might feel for me?”

“And you say you are top of your class?” 

Gilbert sprung from his chair, sending it flying backwards into the wall behind him.

“I need to see her.”

Standing slowly from his chair, Sebastian replied. “Slow down, Blythe. Given this fact that you have just come to these realizations in the past hour, maybe you should sit with them a bit before you make any rash moves. And to do this right, you should probably talk to Winifred first.”

“But Anne.... I must have hurt her terribly.”

“You may need to put work into it, Blythe, but broken hearts can be mended. Tomorrow is Saturday. How about you go to Dr. Ward’s office in the morning and see if you can speak with Winifred? And Anne was supposed to come help with Dellie in the afternoon, but I can figure something else out so you can take her for a walk if she agrees to it.”

“Thanks, Bash. And thanks for calling me out on this.”

“You’ll repay me each time I make fun of you for it in the years to come,” Bash said with an impish grin. “But I’ll give you a few months reprieve.”

Gilbert walked around the table to give Sebastian a hug before grabbing his book and returning to his room. He prayed fervently that Anne and Winifred would forgive him as he drifted off to sleep.


	2. A Match in Intensity and Passion

Tears stung the corners of Gilbert’s eyes as he made his way to the Barry homestead on Saturday evening. He had come to realize the power of the pain he had caused everyone tied up in the situation he had created for himself, and he was at a complete loss for what to do next. As he walked along the wooded path, he thought back on the very full and emotionally draining day that trailed behind him.

His conversation with Winifred that morning was tougher than he expected. Gilbert explained that he had come to the realization that he needed to step away from their relationship and asked her forgiveness for leading her on to think he might feel more for her. While he hadn’t felt a deep attachment with her and had been more interested in her pleasant and easy company, he came to realize that his actions had very much led her on to believe that he saw a future with her.  _ Who could blame her for thinking that? Bash was right in saying that his willingness to meet her parents might indicate to her that he was thinking about marriage.  _

Winifred was very honest with him about her disappointment about the situation and the hurt she felt from him. Indeed, he had played with her heart. In the moment, it was so painful to hear, but in hindsight, he was glad that she had the strength to tell him exactly how he had hurt her. He made a silent vow to never be so unclear about his intentions again. As a single tear slid down her cheek, Winifred promised to find it in herself to forgive him, and he was thankful for her graciousness that he felt so undeserving of.

Further compounding the tears in Gilbert’s eyes was his interaction, or more of a lack of interaction, with Anne later in the afternoon. She insisted vehemently that she was going to fulfill the task of watching Dellie when he had asked her to walk with him, and when he offered to walk her back to Green Gables she insisted that she was more than capable of finding her own way home without him. He wanted to get to the bottom of where exactly all of Anne’s animosity towards him was rooted before approaching her again. Of course, he had ideas, but he thought it best to consult her dearest friend Diana. 

Part of him had wanted to fall at Anne’s feet and beg her forgiveness right then and there in the kitchen of his home earlier that day, to pull her into his arms and tell her how much he loves her, but Gilbert knew her well enough to give her some space for the time being.  _ If I caused WInnie so much pain without knowing, how much more must I have also hurt Anne?  _ Gilbert remembered what Bash had said -  _ You may need to put work into it -  _ so work he would.

Gilbert managed to hide away any sign of the tears that rimmed his eyes before knocking on the Barry’s door. He asked their housekeeper if he might have a word with Diana, and not more than ten minutes later, found himself facing her in the Barry’s back garden.

“What brings you here, Gilbert?” Diana asked with a knowing glimmer in her eyes.

“It’s Anne. Diana, I completely messed up,” answered Gilbert, his voice shaking.

“She likes you, you know. She had only just come to realize it the week before the fair, but when she saw you with the woman you brought, she was crushed.” Diana reached out and grabbed Gilbert’s wrist in an effort to comfort the clearly distraught young man. “It seems you might have changed your mind?”

“It’s more like my eyes were opened to what was already right in front of me,” Gilbert replied solemnly and Diana nodded in understanding. “I love her, Diana.”

“I think if you told her that as honestly as you just told me, she would hear you.” 

Gilbert replied with an uncomfortable laugh, “I tried twice to get her to walk with me today…. But you know how Anne is when she sets her mind against something. Had I been able to get her alone, I would have told her everything.”

“I see,” said Diana sadly. In a more chipper voice, Diana continued, “Sometimes I find that I need to match her intensity and passion to break through to her.”

“Whenever I match her intensity and passion she runs.”

“Maybe find a way to tell her everything before you actually come face to face with her,” Diana paused, deep in thought. “If you write her something, she could choose when to read it and then take the time she needs to process it before coming face to face with you.”

“But if she never reads it...or never talks to me after….” Gilbert’s voice trailed off with a quiver.

“She will Gilbert. She just needs to know that her feelings for you are reciprocated...and that you feel that way only for her.”

After a few more moments of shared conversation, Gilbert thanked Diana and headed back to his farm. The setting sun cast a romantic glow over Avonlea, but Gilbert hardly noticed anything around him as he walked, deep in thought of what he might write.

_ A letter would clearly get my point across. There is some romance to a letter, but it doesn’t feel like enough for this. Or I could write her a story! Of course it would be nothing as wonderful as what Anne might write… but she would probably appreciate the effort. _

Gilbert set his heart on writing Anne a story and turned his attention to what might become the contents of the story for the remainder of the walk. He would often find himself distracted as his mind would turn to Anne herself, and the hurt he saw in the eyes of the girl he knew now that he loves deeply. He set his mind to doing whatever he needed to to fix what he had unintentionally broken between them.

Making his way into his house, he sat down at his desk and began to write.


	3. The Depths of My Soul

Anne awoke on Monday morning to the sound of Marilla rapping on her door. 

“Anne...Anne, are you up? There was an envelope outside on the porch this morning addressed to you.”

Rubbing the remnants of her restless half-sleep from her eyes, Anne sat up wondering who could have possibly left something for her during the night. She had been having trouble sleeping the past few weeks, ever since she saw Gilbert with Winifred on his arm at the fair. Sleep had been even harder to come by since Saturday when Gilbert had tried twice to get Anne to walk with him. 

_ Whatever could that impossible boy want with me? _

The question rolled over and over again in Anne’s mind last night, much to her dismay. All she wanted was to forget the feelings that she had entertained after their dance practice at school, to forget that she ever thought they had a chance to be something more than friends, to forget that they might have, in some other universe, been an “us”.

“Anne!” 

Snapping out of her thoughts, Anne replied “Sorry, Marilla! You can come in.”

Marilla opened the door and, with a smile at Anne’s disheveled state, handed her the envelope. On the front of the envelope, Anne read the words “ _ To Miss Anne Shirley-Cuthbert _ ” in a script Anne recognized immediately.  _ Gilbert.  _ Half of Anne wanted to ask Marilla to take it away then and there and toss it in the kitchen fire, but the more reasonable half of her was curious as to what business Gilbert might have in writing to her. After thanking Marilla, Anne found herself alone again as Marilla headed downstairs to work on making breakfast. She gingerly turned the envelope over in her hands and was surprised to find more writing, so small it was hardly noticeable, on the back. 

_ I know you are upset with me and have every right to me, but please give me a chance. _

Taking a deep breath, Anne slid the envelope open with her finger and pulled out the papers neatly folded inside. Her fingers trembled as she read the first line at the top of the first page.

_ The Depths of My Soul _ _ By Gilbert Blythe _

With no hesitation, Anne read on.

_ In the land of Avonlea, not too long ago, there lived a woman named Princess Cordelia. She was a true beauty with eyes filled with honesty and wonder and hair that glowed like fire. Truly unmatched, her beauty shined from inside of her too. She was incredibly intelligent, she was full of compassion for those around her, and she was fiercely brave. Princess Cordelia was loved dearly by those in her kingdom. _

_ Princess Cordelia’s life wasn’t without pain and obstacles along its path. In fact, Princess Cordelia was an orphan who faced some of the deepest depths of darkness as a child. Fortunately for those in the kingdom of Avonlea, providence brought her to the kingdom where she now lived as a daughter of the King and Queen of the house of Cuthbert. While some might have let their past circumstances mar their present selves, Princess Cordelia only allowed herself to be strengthened by them. Her subjects were grateful for all of who she was.  _

_ In particular, Princess Cordelia caught the eye of a young man named Gilbert, a farmer who worked the land of Avonlea and one day dreamed of becoming a doctor. Since the moment he met her when they were just children, he was drawn like a moth to a flame. At first, Gilbert wasn’t sure what attracted him to Princess Cordelia, yet he was so intrigued by her, he always sought ways to be close to her. Gilbert found that he and Princess Cordelia were very much alike, almost too much it seemed at times, as they often found themselves butting heads and arguing about one thing or another. Still, they grew as friends over the years, and as they moved into adulthood, they found their time filled with more passionate, intellectual discussions in place of their constant childhood arguments. _

_ While their friendship blossomed, Gilbert found himself wanting more. At some point, unknown to him, his feelings for Princess Cordelia had transformed into something deeper, though he didn’t have the right words to describe them yet. Whenever he was around Princess Cordelia, he wondered if she had felt any change too. Sadly, Gilbert wasn’t as courageous as Princess Cordelia, so he kept his thoughts to himself in fear of scaring her away with his truth and the possibility of ruining their friendship forever. At the time, Gilbert didn’t realize how much he would live to regret the decision to keep his feelings hidden from the beautiful princess. _

_ Feelings of regret started to leak into Gilbert’s heart as circumstances led he and Princess Cordelia to drift apart. Misunderstandings, miscommunications, and mistakes caused a divide between them. Once hopeful that Princess Cordelia might have similar affections for him as he had for her, he began to doubt that he would ever be good enough for her. He tried his hardest to move on while his life still found itself intertwined with hers. He tried to focus on working toward his dream of becoming a doctor to keep his thoughts from her, and went as far as developing a relationship with another woman in an effort to drive out any romantic feelings he once had for Princess Cordelia. But it was no use, nothing could destroy the feelings he had for her, they only grew stronger. Gilbert found himself in quite the mess, unable to tell up from down. _

_ Gilbert regretted not telling Princess Cordelia how much he cared for her. In the process of trying to distance himself from the feelings he had for her, he had hurt her and others as well. Realizing his missteps, Gilbert knew he had to do what he could to make the situation right. He couldn’t act against his heart anymore. Opening his eyes to what he truly felt, he realized that for a long time, it had been  _ ** _love_ ** _ . Gilbert loved Princess Cordelia with all of his heart, and knew he would do anything to make her happy if she chose to forgive him and accept him. _

_ Gilbert fell into the depths of despair when he couldn’t get her to talk with him so he could begin to apologize. He realized that he might have lost the chance to find the purest form of happiness that he could experience on this earth - a life with Princess Cordelia at his side. While he had acted with weakness before, Gilbert vowed to act with strength moving forward. He was ready to keep trying all he could to rebuild the trust they once had between them. He would do all he could to let her know how much he loved her, realizing that part of that love was giving her the freedom and choice in whether or not she would love him back. It was deeply scary, but enthralling at the same time. _

_ Gilbert hoped, from the depths of his soul, that Princess Cordelia would forgive him and allow him to show her how big his love for her was. _

Anne gasped for air as she had hardly realized that she had been holding her breath for what must have been minutes.  _ Could this be real?  _ Her eyes moved down to the bottom of the last page, below where the story had ended. 

_ Anne,  _

_ All of this is true. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it and act on it sooner. I’m sorry I created such a mess and dragged you into it. I love you, Anne. It has always been you for me, but my eyes have only just opened. If you can find it in yourself to accept this apology, I have so many things I want to say to you in person. Just know that, if you’ll have me, I would desire nothing more in this world than to go through all of the adventures of life with you at my side. I do hope you might feel the same for me. I know I must have hurt you deeply, and I know you might need time to process what I have wrote. I will be in my orchard every evening near sunset in the hope that you might come meet me. If you haven’t come by the end of the summer, I will take note that you do not wish for the same things as I do and respect your decision. _

_ With all the love from the depths of my heart and soul, _

_ Gilbert Blythe  _

Anne collapsed back against her pillow, her mind reeling with all that she just read. The story Gilbert had written was exquisite and so full of romance. It was made more beautiful by the fact that she and he as a “we” were the essence of the story. He had laid his heart and soul out before her. Those moments they had shared in the dance were indeed telling of something. She hadn’t just imagined it. He loved her.  _ He loves me _ . And she loved him. Of course she would forgive him, considering the countless times she had to ask him to forgive her and he graciously always did. 

Anne wanted to run to him right then, barefooted, hair in a mess, and dressed in her nightgown.  _ How can I ever make it till sunset knowing all of this?  _ But she would wait. She knew Gilbert and Bash had countless things to do on their farm that day, so she would respect his request.  _ He would wait all summer for me. I can definitely wait until tonight. _

Little did Anne know, but Gilbert had also left an envelope addressed to Matthew and Marilla on the porch that morning that the two older Cuthbert’s had just finished reading in the kitchen together where they now sat with the most ridiculous grins on their faces.

_ Dear Mr. and Mrs. Cuthbert, _

_ I would like to talk to you about something regarding me and your wonderful Anne. I know you plan to be over at our house later today to help with the farm and Dellie, but if you could spare me a few moments of your time I would very much appreciate it. Please do not mention this to Anne. _

_ Best, _

_ Gilbert Blythe  _


	4. How True It Is

The air in the Cuthbert’s home that evening at dinner was filled with an odd energy. It was as if the pair of elder Cuthberts and young Anne were both trying to suppress an intensely giddy happiness in attempts to not make the other question why they were so giddily happy. Anne had asked for permission from Matthew and Marilla to meet with Gilbert that evening, and she had been floating around Green Gables all day, yet Anne had not divulged to anyone the truths she had learned from Gilbert’s letter or what she planned to do about it. On the other hand, Matthew and Marilla had more to hide, as Anne knew absolutely nothing of the letter that Gilbert had left addressed to them of the enlightening conversation that they had with him earlier that day. All in all, it made for a strained dinnertime conversation since Anne and the Cuthberts all had their minds focused elsewhere - particularly on the future of a certain Gilbert Blythe and a certain Anne Shirley-Cuthbert. 

After dinner was cleaned up, Anne rushed up the stairs two at a time and ran down the hall to her room to freshen up before meeting Gibert. She changed into her green dress, partially because it was recently cleaned and still had an enticingly fresh smell to it, and partially because of Anne’s penchant for nostalgia. It was, after all, the dress that she had worn during the confusingly wonderful dance practice with Gilbert, the dress she had worn when she first admitted her feelings for him to Diana, and the dress she had worn during one of her fondest days spent with him when they worked side-by-side to fight for their freedom of speech. 

After washing her face in her wash basin, Anne stood looking at herself in her mirror. Her eyes focused in on the freckles dotting her pale nose and then on the red braids falling behind her ears that she once considered the bane of her existence.  _ Does he really find me beautiful? _ Knowing the answer brought a wide smile to rest across Anne’s face.  _ He thinks I’m beautiful inside and out.  _

Anne pulled the ribbons from her braids and ran her fingers through them until her hair fell in waves over her shoulders. She pulled a small portion of hair back from each side of her face to tie in a single ribbon in the back. Looking back up at her reflection, she couldn’t help but feel older and more mature seeing the young woman who stared back at her from the glass. While Anne’s insides were a mess of butterflies and nerves, she was glad that her outward self seemed ready for whatever lay ahead.

As Anne walked down the Green Gables path, Matthew and Marilla stood watching her in silence from the porch. They were filled with an intense pride for Anne and who she was becoming and a sense of happiness that she was walking towards a young man who appreciated who she was as much as they did. As she left their sight, both older Cuthbert’s turned to busying themselves around the house, anxious for her to return so they could learn what transpired between her and Gilbert Blythe.

\---

“I don’t think she’s going to come, Bash.”

Dinner at the Blythe-Lacroix house was quite a nervous affair. 

“You need to eat something, Blythe,” Bash said on more than one occasion. “I can just see you now, fainting at her feet, from a lack of food in your belly,” he continued with a chuckle.

Gilbert did his best to stomach some of the food he had prepared, but his mind was reeling at all the possible ways that the evening could go.

“Tell me what you’re thinking, Blythe.”

With a sigh, Gilbert started, “Well most likely she won’t even come. I mean, I told her I would wait for her every evening until the end of the summer, so even if she eventually decides to forgive me, it won’t likely be tonight.”

“That seems pretty reasonable.”

“But, Bash, it’s the thought that she might never come… never forgive me. Or the thought that, even if she finds it in herself to forgive me, I might have read her completely wrong and she could be disgusted by the way I feel about her.”

“Have you ever witnessed Anne be unforgiving to someone?” Bash asked tentatively. Gilbert shook his head in response. “And, I’ve seen the way she’s looked at you lately. I could almost see her heart breaking when she saw you with Winifred on your arm at the fair. While she might need time for her heart to mend, it’s hard for those feelings to just go away completely.”

“I can’t believe I created this mess,” Gilbert scoffed at himself.

Sebastian stood from the table and moved around the table to stand behind his brother and he gently laid his hand on Gilbert’s shoulder. 

“But you realized it, and you're doing what you can to fix it… that’s what matters.” With a chuckle, he added, “You better get ready soon, Blythe, or you might just leave our Anne standing in the orchard alone.”

Getting up from his seat, Gilbert wrapped Sebastian in a hug before proceeding to his room to get ready. He changed into a clean shirt and a clean pair of pants and put on one of his nicer vests. He stood in front of his mirror and ran his fingers through his hair to tame his curls as best he could. He tried to rid his face of any signs of the worry he felt boiling inside, but quickly gave up as he realized that the only thing that could have that effect on him would be the sight of Anne walking towards him.

Without losing anymore time, Gilbert headed out to the orchard. On the way, he picked a few summer blossoms  _ in the small chance she actually comes _ he thought to himself. 

Gilbert had barely set foot into the first row of his orchard when he saw her down the line between the trees, all the way at the other end. He stopped for a moment and blinked a few times, thinking that the little slice of hope that he held in his heart was just making him see things. Seeing her green dress, a favorite of his, and her beautiful red hair, not in its typical braids, but flowing in waves down her back, he realized that it couldn’t be anyone besides her. Still glued in place at the end of the orchard, he thought he could make out a smile spread wide across her face, and he matched it with his own wide grin. 

Before his mind could comprehend what his feet were doing, he was bolting towards her as fast as his legs could carry him, and seeing her hair flying out behind her, he realized she was running towards him too. They only slowed in the moments before the inevitable collision that brought their bodies together, but they crashed together nonetheless. Anne threw her arms around his neck, and Gilbert wrapped one arm tightly around her waist and his other hand found its way into the hair at the back of her head, holding her closely to his chest. They held each other there for minutes, neither seeming to ever want to let go. Tears of happiness streamed silently down Gilbert’s cheeks, and it wasn’t until he could feel Anne’s body physically shaking with her tears that he finally pulled back to look into her eyes.

“So I guess this means what you wrote was true?” Anne said in a whisper, her face covered with a mess of tears that didn’t over shine the tentatively hopeful smile behind them.

Gilbert reached his arm up to her cheek gently to wipe away the drops that lay there. Gazing deeply into the depths of her eyes, he replied with complete sincerity exuding from the joy that emanated from his heart, “Oh, Anne, will you let me tell you how true it all is?


	5. We Will Be Each Other's Till The End Of Time

Gilbert grabbed Anne’s hand and began leading her deeper into the orchard until they found a comfortable spot to sit under a tree right in the center. The tears had stopped flowing by the time they stopped walking, and as they turned towards each other to sit, they each caught sight of the glowing smile plastered across the other’s face. Neither Gilbert or Anne seemed willing to break contact, so facing each other, knees touching, Gilbert took both of Anne’s hands into his.

The way Anne boldly stared into his eyes with unwavering intensity and the way she clasped his hands as if they were the only thing she ever wanted to hold on to gave him the courage he needed to tell her everything. 

“Everything in my letter and story were true, Anne. I poured my heart into them more completely than I ever have before.” He paused, but Anne kept quiet waiting for him to continue. “I’m sorry I messed everything up, Anne, and I’m sorry for any hurt I caused you. I hope you will forgive me.” 

“Don’t worry about that, Gilbert, I already have.”

“I have liked you for a while, Anne, since I met you really. But I only just realized that, somewhere along the way, I fell deeply in love with you and everything little thing that makes you who you are. I know we have our arguments and disagreements, but I truly believe there could never be anyone more perfect for me than you… that is, of course, if you’ll have me, Anne.”

With a small smirk, Anne replied, “Gilbert, you haven’t even let me tell you whether or not I love you yet.”

Gilbert’s face fell momentarily, and sensing the change in his demeanor, Anne lifted a hand to tilt his chin back up so his eyes met hers and continued without a moment more of delay. “I do love you, Gil. Very much so. It shook me to my very core when I first realized it.”

With her words, Gilbert’s lips spread into the widest smile Anne had ever seen. 

“Sweet Anne, I don’t know if I’m more surprised that you called me ‘Gil’ or that you actually love me back,” Gilbert said with a laugh. 

Anne’s cheeks flushed as her laughter joined with his. A cool evening breeze blew through the orchard, leading the two to suddenly realize that the warmth of the summer day was quickly passing to make way for the night. Gilbert moved to get to his feet, offering Anne a hand up as well. 

“May I walk you home, Anne? I’d love to talk to you more along the way.”

“I would love that, Gil… do you mind me calling you that? Something about it just feels right.”

“I rather like it too, as long as it is coming from your lips,” Gilbert paused before continuing boldly, “and as long as you don’t mind me calling you ‘my Anne’ from time to time.”

“I suppose I could tolerate that… for as long as you let me be yours.”

Gilbert could sense the underlying disbelief in her voice that made her uncertain that he really wanted her to be his. She had told him some stories from her past that had generally ingrained in her that she wasn’t worthy of being loved in any capacity or by anyone. Intent on proving her to be entirely wrong, Gilbert wrapped her tightly into his arms before whispering in her ear, “You will be mine as long as you allow me to be.” He paused, breathing in the sweetness of her hair. “And that will be entirely up to you,  **my** Anne, but if it is up to me, we will be each other’s till the end of time.”

Gilbert felt a shiver run through Anne’s body at his words. He pulled his head back to look into her eyes once again in hopes that she could see the earnestness within his. He could almost see the disbelief drain from her eyes and fill with a pure hope. “I know my words are bold, and I hope with all my heart that my assuredness doesn’t frighten you, but I’m tired of not being honest with myself or with you.”

“I used to think I hated you back when we first met, but I’m glad now that I’ve changed and am now able to see you clearly as the wonderful human you are,” Anne said with a joyful laugh. “I like the idea of that too, Gil. The being each other’s till the end of time part that is.” 

Gilbert couldn’t help but tear up at her words. Just an hour ago, he was still unsure that she would ever forgive him, but here she was, in his arms nonetheless, reciprocating his love and beginning the process of intertwining their futures as one. He no longer had any walls up with her, and he allowed the tears to slip down his cheeks.

“Gil, why are you crying?” Anne asked, cupping his face in her hands.

“I’m just so happy, Anne. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I could feel joy to this extent.”

Still holding his face in her hands, Anne took in every minute detail of the handsome face in front of her, eventually landing her gaze on his lips. Allowing her eyes to flash back up to his momentarily, Anne noticed that his eyes were focused on her lips as well. 

“Gilbert, my happiness is telling me that I should kiss you right now,” Anne paused nervously. “Would that be okay with you?”

Gilbert nodded his consent as his lips moved slowly down to meet with hers in the middle. The kiss was brief, only lasting a few seconds, but the passion behind it sent shock waves through both of their bodies. Pulling away, their eyes met again with a connection that seemed deeper than just a few moments before.

“Although I want to stay here forever in this moment, sweet Anne, Marilla will probably kill me if I don’t get you home before dark.”

Anne nodded in agreement knowing there would be so many more opportunities to share moments like this. Gilbert wrapped his arm around her lower back and held her close to his side as they made their way back towards Green Gables under the setting sun. Their walk back was filled with moments of comfortable silence intermixed with chatter on topics familiar to the pair. It wasn’t until they were almost back to the gate leading to Anne’s home that the conversation turned back to the newer topic of them as a couple.

“Anne, I know I never officially asked you yet, but will you do me the honor of entering a courtship with me?”

“Of course I will, Gil. Now it’s my turn to speak with bold honesty, but I feel so much love for you that I probably would have said yes if you had asked me to marry you on the spot.” Anne laughed, bringing a sense of lightness to the serious statement she just made, but Gilbert heard her clearly and knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t have said it if she didn’t mean it.

“Well, I’ll just have to tuck that tidbit in my back pocket for later now, won’t I?” Gilbert responded with the giddiest grin on his face.

“Oh Gil, you should probably ask Matthew before I formally agree to this courtship,” said Anne, her mind tracing back to Gilbert’s initial question.

“I already did, Anne… my Anne. I asked him and Marilla this afternoon, and they both very gladly gave their permission.”

“So that’s why they were so weird during dinner!”

“Will you tell them you agreed to courtship?”

“I will. Would you like to come with me? I can make us all some tea.”

“I would love that, Anne.”

Gilbert and Anne made their way up the path to Green Gables hand in hand. They spent another hour with Matthew and Marilla, sharing their good news and chatting in front of the fire, before Gilbert got up to head home. After sharing another few kisses in the dark of the porch, Gilbert promised to come see Anne the next evening after his work was done.

He was glad that Bash was already asleep when he returned home that night, not because he didn’t want to tell his dear friend and brother of his good news, but because he had so much on his mind. Making his way back to his bedroom, Gilbert opened the bottom drawer of his desk and reached to the very back to pull out a small box. Opening it revealed a delicate pearl engagement ring that had belonged to his mother. Gilbert carefully pulled the ring out from the box and twirled it between his fingers. He didn’t know exactly when he would need it, but he vowed to carry it with him every time he was to meet with Anne until the right moment presented itself. 

Her words kept playing through his mind -  _ I feel so much love for you that I probably would have said yes if you had asked me to marry you on the spot _ . Gilbert smiled at the memory and at the small secret he withheld from Anne that evening. Little did Anne know, Gilbert had asked the Cuthberts for their permission for two things that afternoon. One had just been fulfilled that night, and one to be sealed with that ring in the days to come.


	6. Certainty Beyond a Doubt

“Well, you were out late last night,” Sebastian said, throwing a sly grin at Gilbert as he entered the kitchen the next morning beaming from ear to ear. “By the look of your face, it seems things might have gone well between you and your Anne?”

“Maybe,” Gilbert supplied briefly, knowing that telling Sebastian more would bring on endless teasing, probably for the rest of his days.

“Don’t you think your brother deserves more than a ‘maybe’? Tell me, Blythe. Did she forgive you?”

Gilbert nodded.

“Did you tell you how you feel for her?”

Gilbert nodded, his grin growing wider.

“Was I right that she felt similar feelings for you.”

“Yep. You win, okay?” Gilbert responded with the laugh of a man confidently in love.

“I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” Sebastian exclaimed, dancing around the kitchen. Nudging Gilbert’s arm playfully with his own, he asked, “So did you kiss her?” 

“I’m not telling you any more,” Gilbert said, his cheeks turning rosy at the memory of their kisses from the night before.

“Oooooooo, you kissed her!” Bash exclaimed in a tone of pure joy. “Though you may not be speaking, Blythe, your face tells it all.”

Sheepishly, yet with a smile still spread across his face, Gilbert responded, “Yes, we kissed. And I would gladly do it again.”

Sebastian feigned passing out right there and then on the kitchen floor. “I never thought I would see the day,” he said with a deep sigh, followed by a ruckus of laughter as he stared up at the ceiling. Gilbert gently kicked at him in jest. From her basket, Delphine’s giggles rang out at her father’s and uncle’s antics. Laughter emanating from all three bodies in the kitchen, Gilbert helped pull Sebastian back to his feet.

As the three settled at the kitchen table for breakfast, Sebastian quenched his teasing momentarily to bring some more serious questions before his friend. “So are you and your Anne officially courting?”

“Yes.” Gilbert paused for a minute, contemplating whether or not to ask Sebastian the question that had been floating around in his mind. He could put up with any teasing that might come his way, but he also hoped that Sebastian would read the gravity of his question and offer his advice. “Bash, how did you know it was the right time to propose to Mary?”

Sebastian’s eyes grew wide at the question laid before him. With a small, warm chuckle, he responded, “You do remember I proposed to her drunk in a laundry tub, right?”

“Of course,” Gilbert said, laughing at the memory they shared. “But there must have been a part of you that had thought it out beforehand. It had to have been in your mind to do it.”

“Honestly, Blythe, I was fairly certain I loved Mary since the moment I saw her. And I knew for certain I loved her since the first conversation we had. I would have asked her right then if I knew she felt the same, but she needed to warm up to me.” Sebastian paused, tearing up at the memory of his Mary. “And I’m mighty glad she did just that,” he said, holding Delphine tightly.

Gilbert looked at the pair, his family, sitting before him. “I think I might propose to Anne tonight.” The mere act of speaking it aloud flooded him with a warm certainty that it was the right choice. “I don’t care if society says we should court for a time first. I know she is the only person I would want to spend my life with and share my dreams with. I love her, and she loves me. I wish I had realized this before, but I think I needed to go through all of this mess to know with certainty how much I feel for her and to be able to speak it boldly.”

“Well you sound ready to me,” Bash said with a laugh. Noticing Anne coming up the path through the window behind Gilbert, he added, “But if you plan to wait until tonight, you might need to do something with that eager smile that’s slapped across your ridiculous face. I forgot to mention that Anne is coming to watch Dellie today.” 

“Wha-” 

Gilbert’s words were cut short by a knock on the door. Sebastian grabbed Delphine and scurried out of the room with belly-rolling laughter, leaving Gilbert alone to answer the door to the woman he was just talking about proposing to. He hadn’t expected to see her until the evening, and he hadn’t even changed into decent clothes, but with her second knock on the door, he knew he had no choice but to answer.

\---

Anne walked up the path to the Blythe-Lacroix house with an extra skip in her step that morning. She was still giddy from the thrill of the admissions of love between her and Gilbert the night before, and was looking forward to seeing him again today.

She heard rolling laughter coming from the house as she knocked on the door that she knew could only be the sound of Sebastian teasing Gilbert about one thing or another. After knocking a second time, the door opened to reveal a blushing and grinning Gilbert, still in what she thought must be his clothes from bed. 

“Hi,” she breathed, barely audible, taking in the sight of him. She had never seen him in this state of dress before, and it took all the effort she had to keep her eyes from running up and down the form of his body that was silhouetted by his tight fitting shirt.

“Hi,” he breathed back, taking a step closer to her and wrapping his arms around her, nestling his head into her hair. 

She breathed deeply into his chest, taking in his scent. This combined with the new image of him seared in her mind, and her knees almost buckled beneath her. They both pulled back from their embrace, to allow their lips to meet for a quick kiss which, though only momentary, sent shocks through each of their bodies bringing back memories from the night before. 

Gazing up into Gilbert’s eyes, still wrapping in his arms, she whispered, “Thought I would like to stay here with you all day long just like this, I think Bash and Dellie might start wondering where I am.”

Gilbert chuckled and planted another kiss on her forehead before responding, “I suppose your right. We can’t let him do all the work around here today.” It took some mental and emotional effort from both young adults to break from each other’s arms. Taking Anne’s hand in his, Gilbert led her inside. “Anne, before I go get ready to start working, I wanted to ask if you would accompany me to the beach tonight after dinner? I thought it might be fun to watch the sunset there together.”

“I would love that, Gil,” Anne replied, squeezing his hand tightly. “I’ll just have to make sure it is okay with Marilla first. If you would like, I could ask her if it is okay if I bring a picnic dinner for us.”

Bringing his hand up to cup her cheek, Gilbert said, “That would be perfect.” Hesitating a moment, he added, “Of course I will have to ask Bash if he is okay taking care of dinner here on his own.” 

“That’s fine with me!” shouted Bash’s voice from the other room. The surprise of having a third party listening into their conversation made them both jump before breaking into fits of laughter.

Anne reached up on her tip-toes to plant a chaste kiss on Gilbert’s lips before moving towards Delphine’s nursery. She paused at the entrance to the hall to glance back at Gilbert and mouthed the words “I love you” before spinning back around before he could answer. Gilbert reached into his pocket, rubbing the ring between his fingers and whispering under his breath, “I love you, my Anne.” 


	7. I Found My Home With You

Anne had just finished packing a basket with sandwiches, fruit, and some delicious scones that Marilla had made that afternoon when she heard Marilla call out to her from the living room.

“Anne! Gilbert’s here!”

Anne was very glad that Marilla and Matthew so willingly agreed to the idea of her picnic dinner with Gilbert. She had expected to have to do some convincing since it was such short notice, but they both agreed almost immediately, grinning from ear to ear.  _ Do they know something that I don’t know?  _

Anne was also incredibly glad that she had Matthew and Marilla as guardians and that they cared very little about the ideals laid out by society for a courting relationship. Any other young couple would have had to bring along a chaperone, but Matthew and Marilla made it clear that they trusted her and Gilbert and just asked that they didn’t act in any way that would break that trust.

Catching a glimpse of Gilbert out the kitchen window, Anne felt her heart jump inside of her. He was riding up to Green Gables on his horse, dressed in clean, pressed clothes, and looking as handsome as ever. She smiled when she noticed his curls blowing haphazardly in the breeze. It was a more glorious sight than Anne could have ever imagined from the stories she once wrote of brave knights coming for their fair maidens. It was more beautiful because it was Gilbert, and he was coming for her. Anne smoothed down the front of her dress and ran her fingers through her hair before grabbing the basket, saying a quick goodbye to Marilla, and making her way out the front door.

Gilbert had dismounted his horse and was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her. At first sight of her, he couldn’t help but let his gaze work over her in awe. Anne bounded down the stairs to him, binding him into a hug which he returned in kind. 

“Are you ready for our first official outing together, sweet Anne?” he said in the most comically proper voice that he could muster, smiling down at her.

“More than ready, kind sir,” she replied with a laugh. 

“Your ride awaits,” Gilbert said, gesturing to his horse. 

Gilbert took the picnic basket from Anne, fixing it to the side of the saddle, before offering her his hand to help her onto the saddle. Of course he knew she didn’t need the help, but he knew she would most likely find it ‘romantical’, and he was happy to see that he was right. As soon as she was settled, he brought himself up to sit behind her. The sudden intimate closeness set butterflies fluttering in each of their stomachs.

Gilbert wrapped his arms around Anne’s sides to take hold of the reigns with one hand, leaving the other hand to rest on her stomach. He whispered softly in her ear, “Is this alright?”

“It’s more than alright, Gil,” she replied with a matching whisper. “But let’s start moving before Marilla has anything to say about it.”

With a small laugh at the truth in her statement, he turned the horse and headed off at a gallop. Anne had never ridden with a man like this before, save for Matthew, but that was a very different circumstance, and Gilbert had never ridden like this with a woman. Both found it absolutely thrilling. Anne’s hands made their way to rest on top of Gilbert’s, giving them a soft squeeze. 

Once they were out of sight from Green Gables, Gilbert slowed the horse down to a trot. Anne leaned her back into his chest as he pushed himself forward to meet her, their bodies now flush. Gilbert leaned around Anne, pressing his lips to her cheek.

“This is better,” he said, acknowledging the freedoms found with their newfound privacy. 

Turning her head so her lips were just inches from his, they both leaned in slowly, lips meeting passionately in the middle. Pulling away slightly, heads still resting together, Anne said with a giggle, “No, Gil...this is better.”

They turned their gazes back towards the path, bodies still pressed closely together, as they made their way along the infrequently traveled path down to the sea. They chatted the whole time about a wide variety of things: what the rest of the dwindling summer weeks might hold, what hopes they had for Queens in the fall, how to break the news to their classmates about their courtship. The whole time they spent talking about their futures, Gilbert’s heart beat a few extra beats per minute at the thought of what this evening would hold. His hands tied up with Anne’s, he couldn’t check that the ring was still in his pocket, but he had faith it hadn’t gotten up and walked away since the hundreds of times he had checked on his way to Green Gables.

Upon arriving at the beach, Gilbert dismounted the horse before offering Anne a hand down. He turned his back to the sea to tie up the horse, and when he turned back he couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh at the sight of his Anne, arms spread wide, running joyously towards the water, her hair blowing wildly behind her. Anne had just neared the edge of the water when she was caught off guard by two strong arms grabbing her around the waist from behind. She laughed the most beautiful laugh Gilbert had ever heard as he lifted her feet off the ground, spinning her around in his arms. 

Once both of their feet were back on the sandy ground, Gilbert began taking off his shoes and socks and rolling up his pant legs intent on rushing into the water. 

“Gil, would you find it improper if I was to remove my tights so I can go in too?”

Anne hated the rules that were imposed on women’s fashion. She had no problems with the idea of breaking the rules, especially since she was so comfortable with Gilbert and no one else was in sight on the beach. In the back of her mind she knew that if she and Gilbert did indeed get married someday, he would be the one seeing her ankles and legs anyways. 

“Of course, Anne. But only if you are comfortable with it. You already have full view of my ankles and calves,” he said, gesturing down to his already bare lower legs with a laugh.

“Turn away for a minute, please.”

Gilbert turned to face the open sea as Anne maneuvered her tights from her legs. She felt oddly free as she took in the new sensation of being out in public without her legs covered. Taking advantage of Gilbert still facing away, she snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest from behind. Gilbert gave a little yelp of surprise before turning himself around in her arms. Anne loosened her grip on him, and Gilbert took both of her hands, walking backwards, leading her into the sea. 

The water was more brisk than they expected, but they went in as deep as they could without getting their clothes unreasonably wet. In the back of their minds they both knew that, had they brought extra clothes or towels, they already would have tackled the other, lovingly of course, into the cold waters of the sea. After spending some time, walking along the shore, admiring shells and rocks they found along the way, they retreated back to where they started to set out their picnic. 

Anne ran ahead to grab the basket, and Gilbert, trailing behind her, couldn’t help but admire her slender yet strong legs. Beyond the pure beauty that he found in every part of her, his mind was also occupied in that moment with the realization of how completely she trusted him. He loved that about her. When Anne set her mind towards someone being her kindred spirit, she accepted and trusted them wholeheartedly. 

Gilbert and Anne thoroughly enjoyed their picnic dinner as the sun inevitably sunk lower and lower in the sky. As the sun reached the horizon, Gilbert stood up, grabbing Anne’s hand and leading her back to the water’s edge. He moved himself to stand behind her, bodies flush once again as they had been earlier on the horse, and wrapped his arms around her waist, and she let her fingers intertwine with his. They stood in silence, appreciating the beauty of the moment together. Energy buzzed in Gilbert as he didn’t know exactly how he wanted to break the silence, but he was surprised as Anne spoke first.

“You know, Gil, when you were gone those months on the ship, I was in almost this exact spot, looking out toward the sea, wondering where you were. Even back then I thought of you daily and hoped and prayed that you were safe and that you would eventually come home.”

Gilbert laughed warmly into her hair. “Anne, I would often sneak up to the upper decks of the ship and look out over the sea back in the direction of Avonlea, in the direction of you, but it was only ever in my wildest imaginings that I could ever picture you looking back. Whether you meant to or not, Anne, you brought me back home.” Gilbert paused, tears reaching the precipice of his eyes. Turning Anne to face him, he continued, “And I thank God, for you, Anne, because you brought me home again. I could have never been happy with Winifred. I don’t know what I was thinking, tangling us up in a mess that wasn’t our destiny. No future of mine, no matter how bright it seemed to others, would ever be complete without you, my love.  **You** are my home, Anne.” 

The evening breeze was warm over the sea, but nevertheless, Gilbert felt Anne tremble in his arms, and he pulled her in more tightly to his chest. Tears were silently slipping from her eyes, intermixing with his own. Anne pulled back to meet his gaze, looking deeply into his eyes.

“I love you, Gil,” Anne whispered so only he could hear. “As a girl who grew up without a home, to have the blessings of Green Gables and now you...I’m so glad that you found your way back again. I’m happier than I could ever imagine.”

Her words were simple and few, but they gave him the courage he needed. Still gazing into the depths of her eyes, he said, “Anne, I know we are young and have so many things ahead of us,” Gilbert paused, taking a deep breath, “but do you think you might like to, one day when we’re a bit older, build a home together with me for the rest of our lives?”

“Gilbert, are you asking me to marry you?” Anne asked, her voice shaking.

As an answer to her question, Gibert dropped to his knee, pulling the ring out of his pocket, but refusing to break eye contact.

“Anne Shirley-Cuthbert, I would be so happy if you would agree to become my wife one day and honor me by letting me become your husband, as equal partners.”

Anne fell to her knees before him, meeting him eye to eye. She took his face gently in her hands. 

“Gilbert, I would be beyond happy to promise to be your wife and to take you as my husband one day.”

Gilbert gingerly slid the ring onto Anne’s finger before bringing her hand up to his mouth, pressing upon it a gentle kiss. He was taken by surprise as Anne jumped into his arms, pushing him back into the warm sand, her chest laying on top of his. They kissed and laughed and talked and held each other close in their bed of sand until the sun dipped below the horizon.

Gilbert led the horse more slowly back to Green Gables that night, wanting to take in every moment he had with his Anne. The ride was mostly silent. All of the once hidden truths and feelings had been brought into the open, never to be hidden again. After all of their straying, Anne had found her destiny in Gilbert and he in Anne. Under the light of the summer moon, everything finally felt right in their world. No longer a ‘me’ and ‘you’, they were an ‘us’, ready to conquer the world together. 


End file.
